Alpha's Rejected Mate Returns as Queen

Yarin’s POV:

Aunt Teresa didn’t show any signs of stopping. Her attention gradually shifted from her daughter to complaining. It was as if Lily was a baby who was used to crying to get the attention of her elders. As if she had deliberately planned such a disappearance to attract attention.

“… She is like a stray werewolf now! Wandering the world despite having a home to return to. I wondered what kind of friends she is hanging out with to become such a worrying child! Lily was so cute and obedient when she was young. I remember bringing her and her brothers home to visit their relatives. A strawberry lollipop was enough to make her sit obediently for the entire afternoon…”

I couldn’t stand it anymore and said coldly, “But Lily doesn’t like strawberries at all, Aunt Teresa. Lily doesn’t like any fruit, not strawberries, peaches, apples, or anything else.”

Aunt Teresa was stunned. After a few seconds, she said dryly, “Maybe, but whatever Lily liked when she was young, she has stopped liking them and I am not sure when that happened because she never tells me.”

She did not care about Lily at all. She just wanted a daughter who was as transparent as air and could grow up with minimal effort. How could there be a child who could be quiet for the entire afternoon just because of a piece of candy?

Lily didn’t like the taste of strawberries, but she knew that telling her mother the truth would only get her a scolding, so she had to waste an afternoon to digest this perfunctory love.

Aunt Teresa stopped complaining. She was a shrewd adult and could tell which side I was on.

Her face changed as she wiped away her tears and squeezed out a strange smile. She nudged Alfred. “Go and play with His Highness for a while, my dear. The atmosphere in the tent is too serious. You should go out and get some fresh air.”

Alfred silently glanced at his mother, nodded, and invited me to leave with him.

I thought this was a good opportunity to test his intentions.

When we arrived outside the tent, there was music and laughter everywhere. Even our companions who were only two meters away had to shout at the top of their lungs to hear what the other party was saying.

I didn’t have to worry about our conversation being exposed. Although it was not a secret, if someone found out, they’d tell my parents. Then, I wouldn’t be able to carry out the rest of the plan.

To be honest, the atmosphere between us was a little awkward. Alfred and I could only be considered strangers, and the age gap was obvious. There was nothing to talk about.

Therefore, I skipped the useless small talk and asked directly through the noisy crowd, “What do you think of Lily, Alfred?”

He was stunned by my question and then replied, “Lily is my precious sister, Your Highness. Although we aren’t that close because of some misunderstandings, it doesn’t stop us from being connected by blood.”

“But Lily doesn’t seem to think so. I’ve never heard her mention you.”

“Oh, of course, Your Highness. Just like I said, there’s some distance between us.” Alfred smiled bitterly. “Lily is a lively and brave girl. It’s just that our family has put too many shackles on her. I understand her escape from her family. I don’t think I could find a perfect solution if I were her.

“Our age difference isn’t big, only one year old. This makes it difficult for me to observe her from the perspective of an elder. And I don’t think Lily can treat me as a mature brother she can trust with all her heart. You know, there are actually three of us. We have an elder brother here but because of some- reasons… we were forced to separate.”

“Our oldest brother is closer to my father, and I to my mother. While Lily-well, she thinks she’s forgotten so she’s not close to either of our parents. When she entered junior high school, her whereabouts suddenly became erratic. She would often not be seen for months. Even if she went to school to see her, it was useless.”

“Our parents always thought that Lily had reached the age of rebellion, but I know that’s not true. Perhaps it was not wrong for Lily to think that she was being abandoned. No matter how much our parents said they loved her, they excluded her from everything they did. Sometimes, they would even warn our older brother and me to be ‘wary’ of her, as if our sister was eyeing the position of ‘heir’ all the time.”

Alfred’s description was the same as what Cynthia had warned me about.

Lily had a pair of rich, powerful, and prestigious parents, but she could not go anywhere. She did not belong to anywhere. She was homeless.

However, this was the first time I knew Lily was in such a difficult situation. What kind of feelings did parents have for their biological daughter that they would treat her like a thief?

My heart ached because of this. I remembered the night when I pestered Lily and asked her to take us away from home. Back then, I only felt adventurous. Later, I might have felt a little guilty, but it was only now that I realized that I was a complete jerk..